Peer Support Facilitator - Youth Wellness Hub

Durham Community Health Centre; Oshawa; On-site; CAD 51,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health organization in Oshawa seeks a Peer Support Facilitator for its Youth Wellness Hub. This full-time position involves using lived experiences to provide peer support, advocacy, and mentorship to youth. The role is pivotal in creating a welcoming environment and requires a strong understanding of youth challenges, with at least two years in program delivery. The salary ranges from $51,000 to $57,000 and supports health equity initiatives. Candidates must have a 2-year diploma in Social Services or a related field and experience with marginalized populations.

Benefits

Group Benefits

Participation in HOOPP

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Lived or living experience with mental health or substance use challenges.
• Minimum 2 years of program planning and delivery experience.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and create a safe space for youth.

Responsibilities

• Engage youth, create a welcoming environment and facilitate support groups.
• Connect with clients, providing one-on-one peer support and mentorship.
• Assist clients in accessing healthcare and related services.

Skills

Strong communicator

Collaborative team player

Crisis management

Empathy

Time management

Education

2-year Diploma in Social Services / Mental Health and Addictions

Job description

Position Title: Peer Support Facilitator – Youth Wellness Hub

Employment Status: Permanent Full-Time

Position Status: This is a Bargaining Unit position. All terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreement apply.

Job Posting Deadline for Internal Candidates: December 19, 2025, at 5:00pm

Hours of Work/Schedule: 35 Hours per week (May includes some evening and weekends)

Position Reports To: Manager, Youth Wellness Hub

Salary Range: Annualized salary range $51,000 - $57,000, commensurate on skills and experience, plus Group Benefits, plus participation in HOOPP.

Primary Work Location: Oshawa South, Ajax Youth Wellness Hub and across various agency locations within Durham Region.

Organization

Durham Community Health Centre (DCHC) is a registered, charitable organization that provides integrated, accessible, and equitable community-based primary care, wellness services, and health education to Durham community members who face multiple barriers to their health and well‑being.

DCHC also provides equity‑based programs and services that focus on priority populations such as Indigenous, Black, the 2SLGBTQI Community, Newcomers to Canada, Seniors, and Unattached patients (i.e., those without a family doctor), to name a few. DCHC ensures Durham community members receive not only sick care, but preventive care as well.

At DCHC, we are a team‑based interprofessional group of staff including physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, counselors, dietitians, outreach workers, medical secretaries, and other administrative staff. We always place every client at the Centre of our approach to care, based on their needs. We address these needs through integrated clinical and wellness care and health education.

It’s an exciting time to be joining DCHC, while we are embarking on an energizing path with a focus on making our biggest impact yet on local health care by diversifying, expanding, and leveraging our Strategic Plan, Theory of Change, Brand, Client Stories and Resources.

DCHC’s 2023 – 2026 Strategic Goals

• Drive Program and Service Integration and Client Experience Across All that DCHC Does
• Evolve Program Offerings to Improve Health Equity and Meet the Needs of DCHC’s Priority Populations
• Establish DCHC as a System Advocate and Champion for Equity
• Enhance DCHC’s Brand and Awareness Across Durham Region
• Become an Employer of Choice with a Focus on Recruitment, Retention, and Development

Position Overview

The Peer Support Facilitator will integrate their personal lived experience with youth‑centered focus to contribute insight, support, and leadership to services offered by Durham Community Health Centre’s Youth Wellness Hub.

Working as a valued member of the Youth Wellness Hub Team, the Peer Support Facilitator will offer peer‑based support, advocacy, and system navigation assistance to youth accessing the Hub services. This role is pivotal in fostering a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment where clients feel empowered and supported.

The Peer Support Facilitator will utilize their lived experience to contribute to program development and outreach activities related to YWHO’s Clinical Services, Skills & Well‑being Activities and Community Support Services. The Peer Support Facilitator will be responsible for co‑creating a welcoming space for youth who access Hub services, attending drop‑in activities, as well as one‑on‑one mentorship. The Peer Support Facilitator brings essential lived experience to inform service delivery, guide program design and facilitation, and help shape the evolution of DCHC’s Youth Wellness Hub.

Key Responsibilities

• Engage youth and create a welcoming environment for youth accessing Hub services.
• Facilitate support groups focused support for youth, fostering a safe, inclusive space for sharing and peer connection.
• Connect with clients on an individual basis, providing one‑on‑one peer support, offering empathetic listening, guidance, mentorship, and emotional support.
• Support youth with the completion of standardized measures to help improve youth outcomes (focus on measurement‑based care).
• Facilitate social and recreational activities, both within the Hub and (when relevant) community‑based outings (e.g. gyms, community centres, etc).
• Provide individual mentorship and coaching to youth to navigate mental health system.
• Assist in the planning, outreach and development of skills activities and drop‑in programming.
• Complete documentation of client interactions and timely completion of data entry, case notes and other electronic records as required.
• Attend team meetings as required and contribute to integrated care planning for youth.
• Participate in community network meetings and support outreach.
• Participate in YWHO Provincial Community of Practice. Work from a harm reduction and culturally responsive approach.
• Assist clients in accessing healthcare, mental health, and community services related to youth.
• Advocate for client needs by building bridges between community members and healthcare services, increasing trust and engagement.
• Contribute lived experience to program design and planning, ensuring services are reflective of client needs and community realities.
• Participate in ongoing training, supervision, and professional development opportunities to strengthen peer support skills.
• Maintain confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries at all times.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 2-year Diploma in Social Services / Mental Health and Addictions or similar
• Lived/living experience with mental health or substance use challenges, or experience as part of a marginalized population, is required.
• Strong understanding of the needs, challenges, and barriers youth in Durham Region, particularly in relation to healthcare and social service systems.
• Minimum 2 years of program planning and delivery experience.
• Demonstrated ability to relate to young people accessing services from a peer perspective and can work within an interdisciplinary health care team.
• Strong self‑awareness, self‑care practices and can establish and maintain professional relationships with youth accessing peer services.
• Peer Support Training Certificate is an asset.

Key Competencies

• Strong communicator
• Collaborative team player
• Effective interpersonal skills
• Strong time management and organizational skills
• Crisis management and problem‑solving abilities
• Empathy and a client‑centered approach
• Effective organizational, decision‑making, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and create a safe space for peer sharing and support.

Full vaccination against COVID‑19 is mandatory for this position (DCHC will however adhere to its duty to accommodate those who are unable to be fully vaccinated for a reason related to a human right protected ground).

Application Process:

1. While we thank all applicants for their interest in applying, only those qualified and considered for an interview will be contacted. All applicant submissions will be kept on file for six months, for future consideration.
2. All applicants are encouraged to provide a valid email address for communication purposes. Applicants may receive written correspondence regarding this job posting directly to the email address provided on their resume. As an applicant, it is your responsibility to ensure that you check your email regularly.
3. All positions are subject to the successful completion of the following pre‑employment conditions for all external hires: Reference Checks; and Criminal Background checks (including Vulnerable Sector Screening).
4. Please be advised that AI Technology supports the screening process of applications. All final hiring decisions are made by our recruitment team.

Durham Community Health Centre (DCHC) is committed to creating an inclusive environment that welcomes and celebrates diversity so that all employees have the opportunity to thrive. DCHC will comply with all applicable standards as set out in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), the provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code, and any other applicable legislation. Accessibility: If you have accessibility needs and require alternate formats or other accommodation, please contact our Talent and Culture team at 905‑723‑0036, or by email to [e-mail].